Sodium Gluconate

Sodium gluconate is the sodium salt of gluconic acid, produced by fermentation of glucose. It is a white to tan, granular to fine, crystalline powder, very soluble in water. Noncorrosive, non-toxic, and readily biodegradable (98 % after 2 days), sodium gluconate is more and more appreciated as the chelating agent.

The outstanding property of sodium gluconate is its excellent chelating power, especially in alkaline and concentrated alkaline solutions. It forms stable chelates with calcium, iron, copper, aluminum, and other heavy metals, and in this respect, it surpasses all other chelating agents, such as EDTA, NTA, and related compounds which are highly processed and harmful to the environment. In short, it stops the deoxidation and breakdown of essential minerals present in skincare formulations.

Aqueous solutions of sodium gluconate are resistant to oxidation and reduction, even at high temperatures. However, it is easily degraded biologically (98 % after 2 days) and thus presents no wastewater problem.